Fabric-weaving machine



1 July 927 J. E. FEFEL FABRIC WEAV'ING MACHINE 3 Shoots-Sheet 1 77 FiledMay 21, 1926 INVENTOR. fa/2 n Ella? 6 BY ATTORNEYS.

July 5, 1927.

J. E. FEFEL FABRIC WEAVING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1926 IIllh 55- 9 10.3ll

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 5 1927. 1,634,413 J. E. FEFEL I FABRIC WEAVINGMACHINE Filed May 21, 192s s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. kfoizzz EFef'e ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 5,1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. FEFEL, or nnxnenronr, oonnnc'rrcn 1,634,413-PATENT OFFICE.

T, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANK 3'.

Hour, or NEW YORK, n. Y.

rannrc wnavme MACHINE.

My invention relates to improvements in fabric weavingmachines and hasfor its object to provide a machine of this type, preferably adapted forweaving a narrow ribbon-like fabric-as tape, braid, and the like.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a fabric-weavingmachine adapted for weaving fabric like that disclosed and claimedin myco-pending application, Se-

rial No. 97,230, filed March 25, 1926, and in which a reinforced selvageis provided at each longitudinal edge.

It is the purpose of my present invention to provide a novel means forhandling the 7 weft or filling threads in a fabric without the use of abobbin, shuttle, or the like, and to employ in their stead needles andloopers of novel construction and arrangement which are associated tocooperate in a way to successively lay. the weft threads in the warp,and to loop the same in a manner to' form a selvage of the samestructure and strength at each edge of the fabric.

I have further shown means and mechanism for operating theseweft-handling needles .and loopers, but which obviously may be variedsomewhat in their arrangement or detail of construction and are,therefore, subject to such changes as may be necessary, and permissiblewithin thescope and breadth 'of the claims to follow.

By the use of needles and loopers as applied and operated in myinvention I am able to take the filling threads direct from thesourceas, for instance, a spoolthereby eliminating the labor involved inwindthis preliminarywork.

embodiment of the invention.

ing this vast amountof material upon bobbins, as is customary with theold style of.

weaving machines, thereby saving a great amount of floor space as is nowrequired for With the above and other objects in view,

- an embodlment of the invention is shown 1n the accompanying threesheets of drawings,

and this embodiment vwill be hereinafter from the Application filed May21,

1926. Serial no. 110,619.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the rack and pinionmechanism, taken on line 3 of Fig. 2.,

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a sample of fabric woven by my improvedmachine.

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are front and plan diagrammatic views respectively,showing steps in the fabric weaving operations, of the. needles andcooperating loopers carried in "thei frame members of the weavingmachine;

Figs. 9 and 10 are plan v'iews showing further steps.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings. 1

Referring, in detail, to the characters of reference marked upon thedrawings, the machine includes uprights 12 and 13 which may be mountedupon a base 14 and tied to-.

gether at their upper portions by means of a horlzontally-disposedfrontplate member 15 which serves to support and carry differ- .entparts of the machine, as will later be more fully explained.

The lmain drive shaft 16 is mounted in bearings 17-17 of the uprightsand a third bearing 18 which, like the uprights, is also supported uponthe before mentioned-base 14. This shaft .is provided with drivingmeans, as, for instance, a pulley 19, and also 'has mounted upon it,intermediate of the bearings 17 and 18, cams 20 and 21, again to bereferredto. An eccentric 22 .is mounted upon this shaft intermediate ofthe bear ings 1717 as are also cams 23 and 24, which will later be morefully described. On the end of the shaft is mounted a bevel pinion 25thatmeshes with and drives a similar bevel pinion 26 secured on anupwardlyextending diagonally-disposed shaft 27 that is journaled inbearings 28-28 secured to the upright 12. A third pinion 29 ismountedupon the upper end of the shaft 27 and .meshes with and drives afourth pinion 30 secured to a transverse shaft .31 journaled in theupper portion of the uprights 12 and 13.

A third transverse shaft 32 also has its end portions journaledin'bearings of the uprights 12 and 13 and serves to carry a drum 33 uponwhich the fabric is wound after being woven. A ratchet 34 is secured tothe drum and" is operated by a pawl 35 carried upon a rocker-arm 36journaled upon the shaft 32. One end of a reciproca- I ble connectingrod 37 is ivotally connected to the outer end of this rocker-arm, theother end being attached to a band 38 which encircles and is carried bythe eccentric 22 mentioned above.

y drum may this means it will be seen that the be slowly rotated, stepby step,

through the rotation of the shaft 16, its ec- 'centric 22 and the awland ratchet mechanism connected wit the drum. In practice theseoperations are suitably timed so that the fabric is wound upon the drumas it is woven by the action of the weaving mechanism.

' thus woven around the weft or filling threads in the usual manner.These warp threads which I will indicate as a r-a) may be taken rom aroll 40 mounted upon a standard 41, said roll adapted to be rotated asthe warp threads are drawn therefrom, against the resistance of a weight42 attached to a stra 43 which encircles a reduced part of the rol 44represents a reed, such as is commonly employed in weaving machines, topack the 'worked into the war or filling thread-s; and which, in thisinstance, is carried in the upper ends of vertically-disposedrocker-arms 45-45 hinged to'a floor bracket 46, and each carrying a roll47 for engagement with the cams 23 and 24 mounted upon the beforementioned shaft 16. From this construction, it will be seen that theoperation of the cams through their engagement with the rolls of therocker-arms 45 will cause the latter and their reed 44 to .be operatedforward and backward to and from the woven fabric with each shifting ofthe harness, and laying of the filling threads 1n a way to pack saidthreads against the war threads in the usual manner.

T e particular t pe of fabric which the machine is adapte to produce isshown in Fig. 4, and com rises the warp threads wa and two .weft t readsb and c successively from opposite sides, the laying of each t readbeing in double strands-that is, each thread is carried back on itselfwithin a single shed of the warp. The two weftthreads are successivelylald and looped with each other at opposite edges in symmetricalarrangement at each side, so that reinforced selvages of uniformstructure, strength, and resistance to -pulling are produced. I

For this pur ose, there are provided a pair of transversey-reciprocating horizontallydisposed needless 48 and 49, and a pair ofvertically-reciprocating rotary looper shafts 50 and 51 carrying looperelements, herein-.

1,as4,41a

after more fully referred to. The needles are disposed inhorizontally-aligned relation with each other andare secured indiagonally projecting arm-supports 52 and 53 respectlvely mounted onreciprocating slide rods 54 and 55 slidably supported in suitablebearings or guides 56 and 57 secured to' the uprights 12 and 13. At oneend, the rods are provided with eared sleeves 58 and 59 pivotallyconnected by links 60 and 61 to the upper ends of rocker-arms 62 and 63hinged at their lower ends to floor brackets 64 and 65 and respectivelycarryin rolls 66 and 67 which engage the grooves o cams 68 and 69 4carried upon the aft 16.

The weft threads are carried from spools 70 and 71, mounted uponsuitable supports 72 and 73 through guide loops 74 provided on therespective arm-sup the needle eyes provide ends of the needles.

The vertically-reciprocating looper shafts 50 and 51 are mounted forvertical sliding and rotary movements in the vertical passages of a pairof bracket supports 75 and at the forward 76 secured upon the platemember 15; and

at their upper ends are provided with annularly channeled collars 77 and78 in which rings 79 and 80 are engaged and have trunnion connectionwith the yoke ends 81 and 82 of levers 83 and 84 pivotally, supportedupon brackets 85 secured. to the inner side of the plate member 15.Rolls 86 and 87 are provided at the inner ends of the levers, whichengage the grooves of cams 88 and 89 provided upon the shaft 31, andwhich are esigned to impart alternate up-and-down' movement to theloopers. Within pockets 90 and 91, provided in the respective brackets75 and 76, there are provided gears 92 orts 52 and 53, to

and 93 keyed upon the looper shafts to per mit longitudinal movement ofthe latter, and engaged byvhorizontally-disposed rack members 94 and 95provided at their res ctive inner ends with yoke portions 96 an 97embracing the shaft 31, and carrying r'olls 98 and 99 enga ing thegrooves of cams 100 and 101 provided upon the shaft 31, and adapted toreciprocate the racks and, through the gears 92 and 93, to rotate thelooper shafts to and fro through a quarter turn. 7

At the lower ends of the looper shafts there are rovided forkedflattened threaden'g'aging ooper' portions 102 and 103, one leg of eachthan the other, and respectively provi ed upon one side withhooks 104and 105 for engaging and drawing the thread downwardly Into loop form.

The operation ofthe machine (Figs. 5 to 10) is as follows:

The weft thread 5 carried by the needle 48 is laid in a shed of the warpfrom the left and is carried beyond the right-hand edge of theseportions being lon er .where the looper 103, moving downwardly,

is engaged in flatwise relation between the needle andthe strand of weftat one side, the hook 105 engaging this strand and carrying itdownwardly. The needle 48 then starts its return movement, leaving thethread looped about .the looper; and as said needle becomes free of thelooper, the latter is rotated a quarter turn, as shown in Figs. 7

and 8, forming the loop held thereon so that its opening is inalignment. with the needle 49. The needle 49 thereupon moves to the leftinto the successive shed of the Warp passing through the space betweenthe legs a structure is provided which will withstand- .thread.

of the looper 103 and through the loop car ried thereon, whereupon thelooper shaft 51 is moved upwardly, shedding its loop which nowinterwoven with the other weft projected position (Fig. 9) the looper102 moves downwardly between the needle and thread, the, thread beingdrawn downwardly by the hook 104 to form a loop; and thereupon,'theneedle is retracted'and the looper rotated a quarter turn (as shown inFig.

10) to present the opening of the loop to the needle 48 which is thenprojected through it. With each operation of the needles the drum 33 isrotated ,to feed the warp andwind up the woven fabric; and the harness39 and reed 44 are operated in the usual mannor to alternately raise anddepress the Warp and compact the. weft.

A woven fabric is thus produced in which the weft is formed of twothreads fed from opposite sides, and each supplied from a single sourceof supply, so that the machine may be continuously operatedwithlessattention than is necessary with the usual type of loom, andwithout the complication and floor .space incident to the shuttles orbobbins heretofore employed to feed the weft! Knitted selvag'es areproduced at eachedge by interweaving and 'E-loo ing the weft threads;and a tape or brai of symmetrical pulling strains and wear equally ateach side.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof the invention, but it will'be obvious that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: I I

1. In afabric weaving machine, war feedlngmeans. weft feeding meansinclu ing a weft carrying element adapted to be projected between .shedsof the warp, and

looper means adapted to produce loops'in a thread through which the weftthread carried by said element is passed.

2. In a fabric weaving machine, warp through which the respective weftAs the needle 49 reaches its fully.

feeding means, weft feeding means including 1 weft carrying elements ateach side of the warp adapted to be projected between sheds of the warpfrom opposite sides, and looper means adapted to produce loops in athread threads are passed. v

3. In a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding weft carrying elements at eachside of, the warp adapted to beprojected between sheds of the Warp from opposite sides, and loopermeans adapted to produce a loop in the pro jected portionofqeach weftthread through which the other weft thread is passed.

' 4. In a fabric weaving imachine, warp feeding means, weft feedingmeansincluding weft carrying elements at each side of .the warp adapted to beprojected between sheds of the warp from opposite sides, and loopermeans adapted to engage and form a loop in the projected portion of eachweft thread, the weft carrying means of the other weft thread adapted tobe projected through said loop.

5. In a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding weft carrying elements at each side of the warp adapted to berespectivelyprojected between successive sheds of the warp from oppositesides, and looper means adapted to engage and form a 100 in theprojected portion of each weft'thread, the

weft carrying means of the other weft thread adapted to be projectedthrough said .loop.

6. In a fabric Weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feedingmeansincluding a weft carrying element adapted to be projectedbetweensheds of the warp and retracted to lay double strands of weftthread having a bight .at one edge, and looper means includinga'reciprocating loop element having a forked end adapted to be engagedand disengaged with said weft to produce loops in a thread through whichsaid weft is passed, adapted to engage within said bight whereby anotherthread is woven in looped relation therewith.

7; Inafabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding weft carrying elements adapted to be profor reciprocating saidneedle through the shed of the warp, and looper means adapted to produceloops in a thread through which the weft thread carried by said needleis assed.

10. In a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding a air of reciprocating needles, one at each -si e of the warp,thread supply means for each of said needles from which a weft thread isadapted'to be continuously supplied'to said respective needles, meansfor alternately reciprocating said needles through the sheds of'thewarp, whereby the weft threads are alternately laid from 0pposite sides,and looper means adapted to engage the weft threads upon projectionbetween the warp sheds to'form a loop in the projected portion of eachweft thread through which the other w'eft thread is adapted to bepassed. V

11. In a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding a weft carrying element adapted .to be pro jected betweensheds of the warp, and looper means including a vertically reciprocatinlooper element adapted to be engaged an disengaged with said weft toproduce loops in a thread through which said weft is passed.

12. In a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding a weft carrying element a apted to be projected between shedsof the warp, and looper means including a vertically reclprocatlnglooper element'adapted to be en aged and disengaged with said weft topro uce loops in the projected portions thereof.

13. In a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feedingmeans'including thread supply means of t e warp from'opposite sides, andlooper means including a pair of vertically reciprocatin adapte to bealternately reciprocated into and out of engagement with the weft toproduce a loop in the projected portionof each weft thread and rotatedto present said ich the other weft thread isand rotatable looperelements.

ements adapted to be a terelements at each side of the loop for thepassage therethrough of the other weft thread.

15. In a fabric weaving -machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding weft carrying elements at each side of the warp adapted tobeprojected between sheds of the warp from opposite sides, and loopermeans including a pair of vertically reciprocating and rotatable looperelements have mg a weftreceiving opemng-therethrough,

adapted to be alternately reciprocated into' and out of engagement withthe weft to produce a loopin the projected portion of each weft threadand rotated to present said opening and the loop for the passagetherethrou h of the other weft thread. A

16. n a fabric weaving machine, warp feeding means, weft feeding meansincluding weft carryin elements at each side'of the war adapte to beprojectedbetween sheds of t e warp from oppositesides, and looper meansincluding a pair of vertically reciprocating looper elements, eachhaving a weft engaging hook, adapted to be alternately reciprocated intoand out of enga ement with the weft to'produce a loop in the projectedportion of .each weft thread through which the other weft thread ispassed.

Si ed at Bridgeport in the county of Fair e ld and State of Connecticutthis 17th day of May, A. D1926.

JOHN E. FEFEL.

